The Butterfly Effect Faberry
by falluver
Summary: Some people want to forget the past.  Some people want to change it. Original fic, AU, based on YouTube video by ohhsillygirls
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: If you couldn't tell, this is an Alternate Universe fic, meaning things are different than the show (besides the obvious science fiction theme). Some things will not have happened in the past, such as Rachel and Finn's relationship. Some events from the past will not have happened, but happen in this story in different circumstances. This takes place in Season 3, and Rachel, Finn and Quinn are Seniors. This story's based on the beautiful fan video "Butterfly Effect- Faberry Style" on YouTube by ohhsillygirls. The scenes from that video will happen in this story, almost as if that was a trailer (which it kind of is). :)**

**This is the "official" fic for that video; a link to my DeviantART page is in the link of the video. It's really amazing- if you haven't seen it yet, watch it now. Trust me, you won't regret it! After all, I used to ship Finchel too. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Quinn and her beautiful girlfriend Rachel laid on her bed, whispering and giggling.<p>

"Wait- he asked you out?" A mischievous smile grew on Rachel's face.

"Yeah," Quinn laughed in disbelief. "I'm always with you. Doesn't he get the hint?"

"That's hilarious," Rachel said, throwing her head back in laughter. "So I guess he's going to the dance alone." She paused before adding, "And so are we."

"No," Quinn objected seriously, sitting up. "We'll go together."

"But-"

"We can both come out. Tomorrow."

Rachel looked relieved. "I was afraid... that you wouldn't want to..."

"I'd do anything to keep you," Quinn stated.

"Thank you." Rachel blushed, looking down bashfully.

"You're beautiful," Quinn admitted.

Rachel looked up in surprise. "I love you."

Quinn's eyes widened. That was the first time either of the had said that to each other. "I love you too," she said with finality. Rachel grinned as Quinn leaned down to press a soft, gentle kiss on her lips.

* * *

><p>The rain fell heavier and heavier, just like the tears on Quinn Fabray's cheeks. She stood under her dark umbrella, in her dark dress, surrounded by darkness.<p>

"We gather here today to mourn the death of Rachel Berry."

Quinn choked at the name. Her mother pulled her close, rhythmically stroking her back as she cried silently. Through her blurry, puffy eyes, Quinn glared at the casket in the middle of the field as the Berrys set flowers around it.

"Your turn, sweetie," Hiram Berry murmured to Quinn gruffly.

"What?" she croaked.

"Speak. You knew her best."

Mrs. Fabray muttered apologies to one of the Mr. Berrys; Quinn wouldn't be able to speak. Quinn ground her teeth together and stepped up to the casket, wanting to prove her mother wrong.

"Rachel was-" her voice cracked, and she looked at the ground, waiting to regain control of her speech. "Rachel was my best friend." Another tear fell. "We told each other everything. I never loved anybody so much." Quinn smirked ever so slightly. Nobody would ever know how much Quinn and Rachel had loved each other. But it was too late now. "I just... I just miss her." That was it. Quinn felt her knees go out, and she fell to the ground, sobbing. "So much."

The Berrys and Fabrays ran forward, sheltering Quinn under all of their umbrellas and hugging her. Quinn was passed around, not knowing who was holding her. "Come on, honey," Mrs. Fabray said, once Quinn was back in her arms. "Let's go home."

Quinn nodded and let her mother propel her back to the car.

"Wait!"

Mrs. Fabray looked up from her car keys. "What?"

"I- I forgot to give her the flowers." Quinn held up the bouquet of white roses her mom had bought on the way.

Mrs. Fabray smiled sadly. "I'll be here." Quinn waited for her mom to get in the car before running back to Rachel's casket.

The cemetery was abandoned on Rachel's hill. Quinn slowed to a walk as she approached the box. "I love you," she said softly, resting her hand on the lid. "I would do anything- _anything- _to be able to have stopped that car." Quinn couldn't find anymore words, so she set the roses on the lid, along with a note from her pocket. She read the five words on the paper. "I'll come back for you."

Quinn kissed her three middle fingers, pressed them to the casket, then started back towards the car.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

It was the first dream in a month that wasn't a nightmare of crashed SUVs and bloody corpses. Instead, it was filled with happy memories of Quinn and Rachel- a very alive Rachel. All the while, a hauntingly unfamiliar voice repeated over and over in her head: "When you are completely relaxed: think of it like a movie. You can pause, rewind, or slow down."

Quinn awoke with a start the tenth time the person spoke. "Quinn."

She looked up at her mother, who was standing in the doorway. "Yes?"

"It's the first day of school."

"Oh." Quinn rubbed her eyes, falling back on her pillow. "I can't."

"What, do you have some other plans?" Mrs. Fabray snorted, setting a basket of laundry on Quinn's dresser. Quinn glared. Apparently her mother's cure for grief was ignorance.

"No, I just can't. Not without... her."

Judy Fabray sighed and sat on the corner of her daughter's bed. "You need to move on, sweetie. It's been a month."

"A month," Quinn repeated. "Mom, she was my best friend, not some girl I had nothing to do with."

"Still, these things happen. You need to continue on with your life."

Quinn bit back a fiery remark and got out of bed. "It's going to suck," she hissed into her closet.

"That's the spirit!" Judy cheered, walking out into the hall.

* * *

><p>"Hey Quinn."<p>

"Hey Quinn."

Quinn pinched the bridge of her nose out of irritation for the fifth time that day. "Santana. Brittany." The two cheerleaders flanked the blond.

"We heard about your friend," Santana drawled, her ponytail bouncing as the walked. "What was her name again? Michele?"

"Rachel," Quinn muttered.

"You should know that, Santana, we were in glee club with her," Brittany said stupidly, ruining the Latina's act.

Santana rolled her eyes. "We just wanted to let you know, Quinn, that we don't care. But we also want to point out the bright side to the bus crash. Now you don't have that ugly little Jewish girl following you like a lost puppy and hurting your reputation!"

"Yeah, and now you can focus on the Cheerios!" Brittany chimed in.

Quinn blinked away tears of anger, not looking at either of the girls.

"Look," Santana continued sweetly. "This is really good for you. Stop thinking about her, and come back down to earth!" Quinn shook her head stubbornly, speeding up. "Get over it," she growled.

Quinn snapped, swiveling towards her fellow Cheerios. "I don't want to get over it, okay?"

Santana narrowed her eyes and looked Quinn up and down. A challenge. "You're messing with the wrong girl, Fabray."

"We used to be friends," Quinn recalled coolly. "I don't regret the decision to break that relationship."

Santana rolled her eyes and flounced away, Brittany at her side. Quinn watched them walk away, her green eyes on fire, before retreating to her locker. She entered the same combination as always: 27-38-4. The lock clicked, and the door swung open. A large, colorful picture of a grinning Rachel hung in her locker. It used to be a picture of both the girls, but once they started dating, Quinn folded it down the middle, blocking herself from view. She tore the picture down, along with the dozens of Polaroids of things simply Rachel.

Quinn could barely remember the day that she loved photography. In her eyes, the world was vibrant and beautiful, just waiting to be capture in a frame. Now it was dull and colorless.

"Hey," a smooth voice breathed down her neck. Quinn smudged away her tears and looked at Finn Hudson in her mirror.

"Hello," she replied, unfriendly.

"I'm sorry about Rachel," Finn murmured, leaning too close to Quinn for comfort.

"Don't..." she squeezed her eyes shut, "say that name."

"I won't," Finn promised. "I just came to remind you of what we talked about in July, at Puck's party."

"I didn't want to out with you then, Finn, and I don't want to go out with you now," Quinn sighed with more than a hint of exasperation. She collected her books and looked at him impatiently. "I'm just not ready for a relationship right now. I need time to get over what happened." Quinn started towards class, unsurprised to hear the squeak of Finn's sneakers as he followed in her trail.

"You say it like Rach- she was your girlfriend or something," he scoffed.

Quinn laughed to herself at the irony. If you only knew."Look," Finn said, tugging her to meet her eyes. "I know I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I can take a hint. I'm not wanted." Quinn widened sarcastically, as if to say Oh really? "But I'll wait. That's all I can do." He backed away slowly, his hands up. Surrendering.

Quinn rolled her eyes. She had to give Finn credit, he was really trying. "I'll see you later, Finn.""Aren't you coming to Biology?"

Quinn shook her head, almost sadly. "No. I need to clear my head."

Finn nodded, pretending to understand, and then strode to class without looking back.

* * *

><p>When you are completely relaxed: think of it like a movie. You can pause, rewind, or slow down.<p>

Quinn never took her dreams lightly; they had always represented her feeling, hopes, and fears in some way. What did these eighteen words mean? Surely they had some connection to Rachel- that's what she had been dreaming about.

It was worse than a nightmare, Quinn decided on a whim, chewing thoughtfully on her gum in the safety of the girls' locker room. A nightmare you could wake up from, knowing it wasn't real- that you could move on. But in this kind of happy dream, she longed to have what she couldn't, and when it was over, she would only feel much worse.

It would be nice to get those memories back. To be able to relive them, one more time, with Rachel. To be able to rewind. Quinn fell into a reverie filled with happy visions of a living Rachel.

The bell rang for second period, breaking Quinn from her daydream. She didn't feel better at all, but her reputation was too flawless to ruin by missing two class periods in a row- on the first day of school.

She got up from the bench, and waved a goodbye to Coach Sylvester through the window of her office. Quinn despised Coach, but Sue claimed she saw a lot of herself in Quinn, and she felt for her through this tragedy. Sue was too proud of her Cheerios captain to deny her one hour of peace and quiet. Even if it was to mourn the death of that over-acheiving loser Rachel Berry. Whatever it took to win.

Quinn stepped back out into the bustle of William McKinley High School's hallways, sensing a change. Something was different, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The tension in the student body had disappeared when she did.

That's when Quinn felt the biggest change. She glanced down the hall, and her mouth fell open. A short, dark-haired girl strode in her direction. You could practically smell the confidence radiating off the girl- the swing in her steps caused her curled to bounce cheerfully on her bare shoulders. She smirked, walking straight up to Quinn.

"Hi."

"...Rachel?"

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Rachel looked confused, but she still gave Quinn a smile. "Yes, that's me." She searched Quinn's pale, blank face. "Um, are you okay?"

Quinn's lower lip trembled. She was delusional, she had to be. "I- I can't." She turned and ran down the hall, away from Rachel.

Hurt, Rachel raced after her. "Quinn!" she shouted. "What's gotten into you!"

Quinn stopped suddenly at the end of the hallway, far away from all of the other students. Rachel almost ran into her. Quinn turned slowly, glaring at Rachel. "What do you want?"

"What do you mean, _what do I want_?" I Rachel wailed. "I want you, I want to be your girlfriend, and I want you to tell me what's wrong with you!"

"What's wrong with me?" Quinn repeated. "More like what's wrong with you! You're… dead!"

Rachel's brow knitted together, and she crossed her arms. "Well I can assure you I'm not dead."

"Yes, you are," Quinn disagreed stubbornly. "You died one month ago today, August 17, 2011. A car accident. You were driving home from my house, and some idiot bus driver ran a red light and hit you." Quinn's voice was surprisingly strong, but her eyes were still red. Like they had been for weeks. "Your car- it rolled over three times. There was no way anybody could survive that. And you didn't."

Rachel was frozen. "That… didn't happen. I've been here, with you. I just saw you last night. We promised to come out to everybody today."

Quinn stared, but then those words from her dream drifted into her head once again. _"When you are completely relaxed: think of it like a movie. You can pause, rewind, or slow down."_

"Oh my God," Quinn gasped, falling against the wall and sliding down to the ground.

"What is it?" Rachel asked kindly, joining the blonde.

"It worked."

Rachel was obviously struggling to be patient, Quinn knew, but she didn't let it show. "What worked?"

Quinn choked a laugh. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Rachel grinned. "Try me. I've heard plenty of crazy things from you today."

Quinn smiled and told Rachel all about what had happened in the last month. The crash, the funeral, Quinn's depression. She even told Rachel what Santana and Brittany had said about her, but Rachel just waved it off.

Rachel's eyes were fixed on the tile flooring for the entire story. She looked up at Quinn when it was over, a sad look in her eye. "Well I guess I don't have to worry about whether you'll miss me when I'm gone," Rachel giggled. Quinn smiled back at her, a lock of pale hair falling into her face.

Quinn squeezed Rachel in a hug. "I'll miss you like crazy."

"I find that somehow comforting," Rachel said into Quinn's shoulder. Quinn could hear the smile in her girlfriend's voice. She had missed that so much. "I promise, I'll never leave you again," Rachel vowed.

"I know. First loves are forever," Quinn said, pulling away. Rachel nodded. "Well. There isn't much of a point to go to class now."

"Skip the whole first day?" Rachel asked in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

"Yep," Quinn said, standing. "I can get Coach Sylvester to excuse us."

Rachel looked around nervously, but then rose to Quinn's side. "Sounds like fun."

The girls had decided not to come out so soon. Rachel said it was because she was nervous of what their peers would think, but Quinn said it because she wanted their relationship to herself for just a little longer.

Rachel was practically skipping into school the second day. Even though she hadn't gone through a month of being dead like Quinn had suggested, she did feel like they were closer now than ever.

"Hey, Rachel." She turned and met Finn's eyes. They were no more than acquaintances; Mr. Schuester gave them most of the duets in glee club, but they never really talked in the two years they knew each other. Still, that morning, he hurried to catch up with her, as if it wasn't out of the ordinary at all.

"Hello," she said cautiously, continuing to her locker.

"You and Quinn are like, best friends, right?"

"Yes," Rachel said in the same tone as before.

He shifted his weight, glancing around secretively. "Well I kind of like her. But she won't go out with me. What should I do?"

Rachel blanched. When she and Quinn had talked before, she figured that Finn only had a crush, and he would move on soon. Apparently, she couldn't be that lucky. "Uh, she isn't really in the place to have a boyfriend right now," Rachel stammered.

"Why?" Finn pressed.

"Her boyfriend of a year just broke up with her," Rachel lied quickly. "It was serious. She's heartbroken."

Finn looked confused, too stupid to notice she wasn't being honest. "She had a boyfriend? Who?"

Rachel kicked herself mentally. "Uh, one of Kurt's friends. He goes to Dalton."

Finn nodded, understanding. "Then how can I get to her? Let her know I'm not gonna hurt her?"

"Act like you're not interested at all," Rachel stated. "Like you only want to be friends. Because I know for a fact that you're really creeping her out."

"Oh," Finn sighed. Then he brightened. "What if I even pretended to like somebody else?"

"That works," Rachel said, slamming her locker door closed.

"Okay," Finn said, nodding. He turned a 360, looking at all the girls around him. "I've got to find one now."

Rachel laughed, heading to class. She didn't expect Finn to follow her, but he did. "Who are you going to duet with for Mr. Shue's assignment?"

"We need to do a duet?"

"Yeah, Schue told us to." Finn frowned. "I think you of all people would know that, Rachel."

"I couldn't make it to practice yesterday," she murmured, blushing.

Finn didn't suspect a thing. "Well, I've got to get to class. I'll see you later."

"Bye," Rachel replied softly, watching him go. A strange feeling had settled over her, and even though she couldn't put her finger on it, she could sense that things were really about to change.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Rachel wasn't sure exactly what she had expected to come after her conversation with Finn, but she was still surprised to see him hanging around her locker when she and Quinn walked into school together the next morning.

"Good day, ladies?" he asked in a strained voice as they approached.

Rachel raised her eyebrows at him, and he pretended not to notice.

"Guess so," Quinn said, putting in her locker combination. "I know what you want, and I'm still not going out with you."

"That's fine," Finn said coolly, unscathed.

Quinn's brow furrowed in surprise, but he quickly moved on.

"So I was thinking about our conversation yesterday," Finn said to Rachel, "and I think you and I should be duet partners."

Quinn looked up at them from her books, her eyes wide. "What?" she croaked.

Finn said to Rachel joyfully, "Quinn agrees. Our voices sound crazy-awesome together. We're the captains of this club, after all. We need to prove that we really care about this, right? A duet will really show everyone else who's boss."

Rachel stood, staring at Finn blankly.

"Well," he continued his spiel, "Sam and Mercedes have been planning to take over our spots as captains."

This shook Rachel back to reality. "What?"

Finn hid a hint of a smile. "Yeah. I heard them at lunch yesterday. They feel like you haven't been as... bossy as usual. And, well, if you go, I go, I guess."

Rachel was biting her lip so hard it turned white. She looked at Quinn, her eyes wide and pleading. "I'm actually already partners with Quinn," she muttered, the regret in her voice thick.

Quinn couldn't meet Rachel's eyes anymore. She turned back to her locker, feeling worse than she probably should. "You guys should totally be partners," she said softly.

"What was that?" Finn asked.

Quinn slammed her locker shut and glowered at him. "_You guys should totally be partners_," she practically shouted.

"Yes!" Finn hissed happily. He pulled Quinn in his arms and squeezed her in a victorious hug. He dropped her when it was over and whipped excitedly toward Rachel. "What should we sing?" he questioned, obviously elated.

He started for class, but Rachel lingered next to Quinn. "I'm so sorry," she promised. "But glee club means so much to me, you know that."

"Of course I do," Quinn assured her, faking a smile.

Rachel squeezed her elbow. "I don't deserve you," she giggled before following after Finn.

Quinn watched her go and sighed. She knew Rachel, and she knew that her girlfriend put her all into everything. In other words, Quinn knew she wouldn't be seeing Rachel much for awhile.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

"Rachel!" Quinn called down the empty hall. She jogged to the end, cornering the petite brunette. "There you are! I've been looking for you all day! Where have you been?"

"Nowhere," Rachel was quick to stammer. "Um, I've been busy, and..." she glanced at the time on her phone, "I can't talk right now, I have to go." She hurried off the other direction.

"Where are you going?" Quinn asked, catching Rachel's wrist.

Rachel tugged her arm away uncomfortably and held it close to her, as if she was physically hurt. "Er- I have to practice. With Finn."

Quinn barked a laugh. "But you've been practicing all week! You can handle one day without it, right?"

Rachel shook her head, looking at the floor. "No, Quinn, I really can't. I- I have to go."

Quinn watched the smaller girl scurry down the hall and disappear into the choir room. After a heated debate in her head, she followed Rachel silently.

"What took you so long?" Finn's unmistakable voice asked once Rachel was at his side by the piano.

"Quinn," she sighed in response.

Quinn's brow knitted when it was silent. Weren't they supposed to be practicing?

She peered around the corner, and what she saw made her heart stop. Rachel and Finn were kissing, a full-on lip lock. Anger rose up in Quinn's chest like a forest fire, and she stormed into the choir room, her eyes blazing.

"Stop!" she screeched at them. "Stop it right now!"

But they didn't stop; Finn and Rachel continued to kiss as if Quinn wasn't even there.

"_Stop it_!" she wailed, tears of anger and betrayal streaming down her cheeks. "_STOP_!"

Quinn started pounding her fists on Finn's back. "Get away from her!" she shouted. "She's my girlfriend!"

They continued to ignore her, and Quinn fell against the wall and slid down, cowering in the corner. Once her crying died down, she heard a voice that had become familiar over the past weeks chanting the same phrase over and over: "_When you are completely relaxed: think of it like a movie. You can pause, rewind, or slow down_."

Quinn woke with a start.

"Honey?" Judy Fabray asked from the doorway. "Are you alright?"

"Uh... Yeah," Quinn muttered, taking in her surroundings. "Bad dream."

Quinn expected her mother to mention how often she had been having nightmares, but instead her mother walked away and called, "Well, it's time for school," down the hall. She pondered why her mother acted so strange, but then she remembered that in this strange universe, Rachel had never died. Therefore, Quinn never had nightmares.

Mrs. Fabray passed Quinn's doorway again five minutes later. She peeked inside, and frowned when she saw Quinn still sitting up in bed. "That means it's time to get up," she said harshly.

Quinn paused before nodding. She got up and got ready, refusing the whole time to think about her most recent nightmare.

"Mr. Schuester," Rachel chirped her teacher's name, "Finn and I have been practicing our duet all week and are ready to perform it for the class this afternoon." She beamed proudly.

"That's great, Rachel," Mr. Schue said tiredly. "But this is Spanish class. Glee club-related topics can wait until lunch or after school."

"Yes, of icourse,/i Mr. Schue," said Rachel exasperatedly, as if those kinds of rules were below her. Once he looked back down at the papers he was grading, she flounced back to her seat, which was conveniently next to Quinn's.

"Are you feeling okay?" Rachel asked worriedly, surveying her girlfriend's face.

Quinn's complexion was sickly and pale from days without sleep. She had unconsciously lost weight and had dark shadows under her usually-bright eyes. For some reason, Finn and Rachel's friendship was really getting on her bad side.

"Yeah," Quinn said swiftly. "I didn't sleep well."

Rachel gave her a questioning look.

"I was worried about your duet," she admitted.

A smile grew on Rachel's face. "You're so sweet," she cooed to Quinn. "But you don't need to worry, Finn and I have got this Breadstix trip in the bag! No offense," she added. "I'm sure you and Sam will do flawlessly."

Quinn had almost forgotten that she and Sam were even performing. She had expected to sit out of the competition, but when Mercedes paired up with Tina, Sam came to Quinn. They had won last year, so he thought they had a pretty good chance at it again.

Quinn smiled her thanks. She looked down at Rachel's outfit. "Um, I hope you don't mind me asking, but what are you wearing?"

"Oh!" Rachel blushed and also looked down. She was wearing a frilly black mini skirt and a shiny, dark tube top with a sweetheart neckline. Quinn thought she looked amazing, but it seemed more like something Santana would wear than Rachel. "This is my costume for our duet in glee club. I know it's not very... _me_, but we thought we should try to look as sexy as we can."

Quinn felt the color draining from her face.

"It's just business," Rachel said softly, reaching across the aisle and squeezing Quinn's hand. "I still love you, no matter what I wear for my performances."

"Yeah, I know," Quinn croaked. Rachel beamed happily and turned to face the front of the room.

Quinn sighed, not able to focus on the lesson. The fact that Finn and Rachel were spending so much time together still bothered her, but she wouldn't dare let it show.

"First up, Quinn and Sam." Mr. Schue presented the two blondes sitting on stools in the front of the room. The club clapped unenthusiastically.

Sam began to strum away on the guitar, and he began to sing.

_"I remember what you wore on the first day_

_You came into my life and I thought_

_"Hey, you know, this could be something"_

_'Cause everything you do and words you say_

_You know that it all takes my breath away_

_And now I'm left with nothing"_

Quinn joined in, watching Rachel the whole time.

_"So maybe it's true_

_That I can't live without you_

_And maybe two is better than one_

_But there's so much time_

_To figure out the rest of my life_

_And you've already got me coming undone_

_And I'm thinking two is better than one"_

Sam dropped off and Quinn sang on her own.

_"I remember every look upon your face_

_The way you roll your eyes_

_The way you taste_

_You make it hard for breathing_

_'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away_

_I think of you and every thing's okay_

_I'm finally now believing"_

A small smile grew on Rachel's face. Quinn and Sam sang to each other, acting as if they were in love for the sake of the performance.

_"That maybe it's true_

_That I can't live without you_

_And maybe two is better than one_

_But there's so much time_

_To figure out the rest of my life_

_And you've already got me coming undone_

_And I'm thinking two is better than one"_

Sam sang the next two lines on his own.

"I remember what you wore on the first day

You came into my life and I thought, 'Hey,'

Maybe it's true

That I can't live without you

Maybe two is better than one

But there's so much time

To figure out the rest of my life

And you've already got me coming undone

And I'm thinking

I can't live without you

'Cause, baby, two is better than one

But there's so much time

To figure out the rest of my life

But I'll figure it out

When all is said and done

Two is better than one

Two is better than one"

The whole club applauded as Sam and Quinn took their seats. Rachel smiled at her girlfriend as she made her way to the front, a confident smile on her face.

Without an introduction or an explanation, the music to their song began to play. Some kids smirked and started to dance; others groaned their disapproval, knowing they had no chance of winning if Rachel and Finn performed this song. Mr. Schue was a sucker for songs from the eighties. Sam rolled his eyes at Quinn, but she didn't react. She couldn't move. She was frozen, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. She couldn't believe Rachel was doing this.

_"You were workin' as a waitress in a cocktail bar_

_When I met you_

_I picked you out, I shook you up and turned you around_

_Turned you into someone new_

_Now five years later on you've got the world at your feet_

_Success has been so easy for you_

_But don't forget, it's me who put you where you are now_

_And I can put you back down too_

_Don't, don't you want me?_

_You know I can't believe it_

_When I hear that you won't see me"_

Rachel strode around from behind Finn, her stomping feet making her skirt swish in a way Quinn was uncomfortable with. She sang into her own bejeweled microphone, looking at Finn the whole time. _It's just part of the act_, Quinn told her self. _Just part of the act..._

Rachel sang with Finn, echoing him.

_"Don't, don't you want me?_

_You know I don't believe it_

_When you say that you don't need me_

_Don't, don't you want me?_

_You know I don't believe it_

_When you say that you don't need me_

_It's much too late to find_

_You think you've changed your mind_

_You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry_

_Don't you want me, baby?_

_Don't you want me, ohh?_

_Don't you want me, baby?_

_Don't you want me, ohh?"_

The glee club cheered as Rachel started her solo. Not even Sam or Santana could hide their smiles.

_"I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar_

_That much is true_

_But even then I knew I'd find a much better place_

_Either with or without you_

_The five years we have had have been such good times_

_I still love you_

_But now I think it's time I live my life on my own_

_I guess it's just what I must do"_

Finn joined in again, leaning in dangerously close to Rachel.

_"Don't, don't you want me?_

_You know I can't believe it_

_When I hear that you won't see me_

_Don't, don't you want me?_

_You know I don't believe it_

_When you say that you don't need me_

_It's much too late to find_

_When you think you've changed your mind_

_You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry_

_Don't you want me, baby?_

_Don't you want me, ohh?_

_Don't you want me, baby?_

_Don't you want me, ohh?_

_Don't you want me, baby?"_

Finn and Rachel ended the last long note breathlessly. They turned away from each other, grinning ear-to-ear and bowed the their audience.

Rachel's gaze met Quinn's and she winked. Quinn managed a fake smile that didn't match her emotions at all.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Against Quinn's preferences, Finn's presence became an everyday thing. Most days, Rachel, Quinn, Blaine Anderson and Kurt Hummel's usually peaceful lunches became full of Finn's loud telling of stories nobody actually cared about. Eventually Kurt and Blaine had gone off on their own, leaving the two girls to suffer through sports-talk everyday.

"So then I told Azimio, 'Back off, you asshole-'"

The bell rang to signal the end of lunch. Finn dropped off, looking stunned, as if he had been in his own little world while talking about the football team's drama.

"Gotta get to class," Rachel stammered, hopping up with Quinn and speeding off before Finn could blink an eye.

"Why do we hang out with him?" Quinn hissed for the tenth time that month. "He's only doing it so he can get to me, and I'm not going to date him!"

Rachel didn't answer. They crossed the courtyard silently; the air was chilly and damp, fall was coming in early in Ohio that year. Leaves crunched underneath everybody's feet as they filed into the school.

Quinn accepted this, and changed the subject. "September's almost over," she said vaguely.

"I know," Rachel replied. "So?"

"Homecoming's in a couple weeks."

Rachel laughed out loud. "Leave it to you, Quinn Fabray, to connect Homecoming to October."

Quinn's brow furrowed. "Well, what else would you connect it to?"

"Halloween, maybe?" Rachel suggested. Quinn looked at her blankly, and she giggled. "Well I guess I shouldn't expect _you_ to think that way. What are the plans?"

Quinn's playful smile disintegrated. "I don't know."

"Maybe you could go with Finn," Rachel snorted.

"Shut up!" Quinn snapped, only making Rachel laugh harder. "Stop! It's not funny, it's pathetic!"

Rachel frowned. "Okay, it's a little funny," Quinn admitted. "But it's pathetic because it's one of the only choices we've got. We can't go together, and we can't go alone!"

"I know." Rachel nodded. "And even though my parents are really accepting, I'm just not ready to come out yet. Not after dating Puck and going to Junior Prom with Sam and Jesse…"

"But you went with Mercedes too," Quinn suggested.

"It was a group thing, she was never my date," Rachel said pointedly. "So we know I'm going to be in the closet." She laughed a little. "What about you?"

Quinn waited to speak before getting inside and away from prying ears. "You know what happened when I was pregnant, but if I was gay? It wouldn't go well. My parents are just too religious."

"Well my dads are religious too, but they're gay," Rachel added. "You might be surprised how they react."

"Maybe," said Quinn doubtfully, not believing one bit.

"Hey Rach," Finn said, popping up at Rachel's locker at two o'clock, as usual.

"Hi Finn."

Her voice had become warmer towards him over time. At first he just seemed annoying, and Quinn obviously didn't want him around. But Finn was persistent, and he seemed to follow Rachel like a lost puppy. She couldn't pretend it wasn't adorable. Finn's goofy naivety and smiles and jokes got her through the day. Why deny it, just because Quinn didn't like him?

"So Homecoming's soon," he began.

"Oh yeah, Quinn and I were just talking about that an hour ago. She's pretty excited," Rachel informed him with a grin.

"She still hasn't warmed up to me yet," Finn said. It wasn't a question.

"No," Rachel said bluntly.

"Then I can't ask her." He fell back against the wall of lockers and looked at the girls passing in front of him.

"Do you even need a date?" Rachel asked, unloading books from her locker.

"Yeah. I'm Quarterback. It'd be embarrassing not too."

Rachel nodded and gave him a sympathetic smile as she shut her locker. She stayed and leaned up against it; she didn't feel like heading straight to class. Honestly, she wanted to stay and keep talking to Finn.

Suddenly, a sly smile crossed Finn's face. He looked down at Rachel, his expression wicked.

"Yes?" she prompted, the nervousness in her voice thick.

"_You_ could go to homecoming dance with me," he suggested, looking quite proud of himself.

Rachel blanched. "I-I can't," she stuttered.

"Why not? Do you already have a date?"

"Actually, I-" She stopped mid-sentence What was she supposed to say? She and Quinn agreed that they couldn't go together, didn't they? They also agreed that they would both get _male _dates… So why couldn't Rachel's be Finn? Neither of them actually liked each other _that way_, they just both needed dates. "Um, no. I don't. Quinn and I were just going together."

Finn bit the inside of his cheek, nodding. "So is it a deal? You'll go to Homecoming with me?"

"Sure," Rachel chirped, beaming. "I'd love to go to Homecoming with you."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

The second Quinn stepped into school the next day, she could tell something was up. Dozens of the chattiest girls were bunched in rings all down the hall, whispering to each other at high speeds.

"What's going on?" she wondered aloud.

"You don't know?" a snobby voice asked her from behind. She turned, and the first thing she saw was a fluffy, brown afro the size of a beach ball. "I would have thought the gorgeous Rachel Berry would have told her best friend about her plans for Homecoming."

"I don't understand," Quinn stated, her eyes narrowing.

"Rachel's going to Homecoming with Finn Hudson," Jacob Ben Israel enunciated, a bitter grimace on his bespectacled face. Quinn's mouth fell open, but Jacob didn't seem to notice as he continued. "And since he was already so popular, being his date automatically makes them candidates for Homecoming King and Queen." He stepped around so Quinn could face him without craning her neck.

The color and heat quickly drained from Quinn's face, and she felt faint. Was this real? Was this really happening?

Before Quinn could react at all, two girls in Cheerios uniforms swept past her.

"Congrats on being beaten for Homecoming Queen by Berry, Quinn," Santana called sharply. "Can't wait to vote against you!" She and Brittany turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

"Believe me," Jacob groaned. "I'm not into it either. I was so sure Rachel was into-"

Quinn pushed him aside and stormed down the hall, already zeroed in on her target. It felt like the old days, in Sophomore year, when a hormonal Quinn did this just about everyday to the obnoxious star of the glee club.

"What the hell?" she shouted at Rachel.

Rachel looked up, her eyes wide in fear, but she obviously didn't know what she had done.

"Finn!" Quinn snapped, reminding her.

A look of understanding crossed Rachel's face. "You said we should both get dates…"

Quinn glanced at the people watching the scene and lowered her voice to a hiss. "Why'd you do it? We were going to go together!"

"No we weren't!" Rachel objected. "Neither of us wanted to come out, so you said we should each find a guy and go in a group! I did exactly what we agreed on, Quinn!"

Quinn closed her mouth, deciding against shooting something back at Rachel. Because she was right. The blonde looked away from the smaller girl's face sadly.

Rachel squeezed Quinn's hand. "I'm not abandoning you. If it helps at all, Finn would be upset if we didn't get to go with you."

Quinn chuckled. "I'm sure he would be." She paused before asking, "So who should I go with?"

"Sam and Mercedes broke up last week," Rachel offered. "Sam's on rebound."

"People did always say we looked good together," Quinn sighed. "I guess that works."

Rachel saw her girlfriend's upset expression and gave her a hug. "Soon we'll come out. Then it'll be perfect, I promise."

Quinn smiled weakly. "I'm holding you to that," she teased as they began to saunter to class.

The days in October flew by and suddenly, it was the night of the Homecoming game. Sam Evans was moving the next morning, so he had time to play but not to be Quinn's date. She tried not to appear too disappointed as Rachel was treated as a princess by Finn and the rest of the school, even if that was all she ever dreamed of.

The dance wasn't that great. Well, at least that's how Quinn felt. Rachel seemed to enjoy it; putting on the facade of a happy time with her date, dancing the night away in the fluffy peach dress Quinn picked out for her. It was strange not going with Rachel, or at least a male date, but Finn didn't seem to mind her hanging around.

Quinn was shocked how close Finn and Rachel had grown over the past few weeks. The night was an endless string of inside jokes that left Quinn stumped. How could the two have become such good friends without her?

The evening finally ended, and the trio sauntered out of the school, both girls carrying their high-heels.

"I'll get the car," Finn said politely, picking up his pace and heading out into the parking lot. Quinn had to stifle a laugh; he looked so ridiculous in his crown.

"I had fun," Rachel mused, her Homecoming Queen tiara glittering in the yellow light from the lamp posts. "Did you?"

"Yeah," Quinn lied smoothly.

They stood in silence as Finn's truck appeared at the end of the aisle in the lot. He started to turn into the loop that circled the pick-up area, until a silver sport scar zoomed out of nowhere, colliding with the driver's side.

"Finn!" Rachel shrieked, throwing her shoes aside and racing towards the wreckage. Quinn did the same.

A cloud of steam was erupting from the fronts of both cars, the air bags blocking any view into the windows. As they moved closer, a small, balding man stumbled out of the silver car. He looked at the damage, his hands tugging the little hair he had left.

"You idiot!" he screamed at Finn, or at least at Finn's car. "This is a BMW, kid, these cost a fortune! I'm just here to pick up my daughter, watch where you're going!" Quinn looked at him in disgust; the man was clearly drunk. A freshman Cheerio Quinn vaguely recognized scurried up to her dad, her face a deep scarlet.

Rachel pushed past the man and the girl to the hardly-recognizable passenger-side door. The glass of Finn's window was completely gone, and the remnants of shattered glass were left in streaks of blood down Finn's face. "Finn!" Rachel said again, reaching out to him. He didn't respond. He was tangled up in the airbags, completely unconscious.

"Oh no," Rachel whispered, fear clouding her eyes. "No, no, no... Not Finn..."

Quinn put her arm around Rachel and held her close. "Somebody call 911!"

Once Carole Hudson-Hummel had gone home for the night, Finn asked to see Rachel. Quinn kept her face calm, and claimed she respected their relationship, but something about them being alone together unnerved her.

"Hi," Rachel said, her voice no higher than a whisper.

Finn had never looked worse. His face was covered in butterfly bandages and stitches, his skin pale but his eyes the kind of red that only came from crying. He pushed himself up when he saw her, his legs completely lifeless. Rachel immediately thought of Artie.

"Hey."

"How do you feel?" she questioned, pulling a chair up to the side of the bed.

"From here up," he motioned to everything above his waist, "sucky. But below," he motioned to his legs, "I can't feel a thing." His expression was forced blank, but Rachel could see that it was bothering him.

"What does it mean?"

Finn looked down. "I might never walk again." He drew in a ragged breath and continued. "No more football, no more glee club performances..."

"Don't you dare say that," Rachel threatened. "Artie has been through all of this and more. Artie overcame his disability. He plays football, and he's in glee club."

"I'm just scared, Rachel," Finn murmured. "This isn't just losing my legs, this is losing everything."

Rachel stopped to think for a moment. She knew what to do, and she would need Quinn's help. "We'll get through this," she promised, taking Finn's hand.

"How?"

"You'll see."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

"Quinn!" Rachel shouted down the hall. "Quinn!"

The blonde turned around to see her girlfriend Rachel Berry, McKinley's newest Homecoming Queen, lumbering down the parted crowd in the hallway.

"What?" Quinn asked, appalled.

"I…" Rachel stopped to catch her breath. "I need to talk to you."

"Yeah, I could tell!" Quinn said sarcastically.

"We need to help Finn."

Quinn's brow furrowed. She expected that that's what this would be about. "We can't, Rachel. It's too late. He'll never walk again, the doctors said so. There's nothing we can do."

"Yes," Rachel hissed, pulling Quinn away from the large group of prying ears. "There _is_ something we can do, and you know it."

Quinn's heart literally stopped beating. Color drained from her face, and her eyes went glassy. She did know what Rachel wanted her to do, and it scared her.

"Why do you care so much?" Quinn asked rudely. "He's just a stupid boy."

"A stupid boy who's my friend!" Rachel shot back. "Why are you being so mean? I just want him to be happy, don't you?"

_No. I want you to be happy_….

Quinn sighed. "Fine."

A smile crossed Rachel's face.

"But it may not work," Quinn warned. "Maybe bringing you back from the dead was a one-time deal." Rachel shuddered at the way Quinn worded it. "And you won't remember anything."

"As long as he's okay," Rachel promised, nodding.

Quinn took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and concentrated. _When you are completely relaxed, _a familiar voice echoed in her head, _think of it like a movie. You can pause, rewind, or slow down_…

Quinn opened her eyes with a start to see everything moving backwards before her. Finn, who had just entered the hall with a chair, wheeled back around the corner. A very distressed-looking Rachel went back the way she came.

And suddenly, everything stopped. A red banner hung across the hall that read "Congrats, Finn and Rachel!" where the "Get Well Soon, Finn!" had been. Finn walked around the corner, on two feet, completely unharmed. His intertwined with another's- the body that it belonged to walking slightly behind him. As if in slow motion, Finn moved to let the person into view.

Quinn knew who it was.

She knew much to well.

It was Rachel.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note: I can't tell you guys how sorry I am. Butterfly Effect is my baby, but for some reason, I just never feel like updating on here. Deviantart is a faster process; here you need to upload the document and then add it to the story. I'm just really sorry. But here's nine and ten, and eleven will probably be coming later today. If you have a Deviantart, though, friend me with the link on my page here. I tend to update about a week sooner there, just because it's my home :/_

_So anyway, I hope you enjoy the next chapters! Things are coming to a breaking point inside Quinn. She's finally seeing that maybe rewinding the past can't fix all of her problems like she thought..._

* * *

><p>Quinn rewound time so fast as to not see the heart wrenching scene of Finn and Rachel's intertwined hands in front of her. The same thing happened as before, but now Rachel stood next to her, and Finn was at his locker across the hall.<p>

"What the hell was that?" Quinn hissed at Rachel.

"What was what?" she asked, confused.

Quinn shook her head, knowing Rachel had no idea what she was talking about. Finn was safe, and Rachel was hers. They both got what they wanted. There was no need to be angry.

* * *

><p>A lot had been on Finn Hudson's mind since Homecoming. He was confused about his feelings; he didn't know what to think. He felt like he had déjà vu all the time.<p>

"Finn!" Carole called up the stairs. "Come help me with the turkey!"

Finn tumbled out of his daydream, pushed up from his desk chair and headed down to the kitchen. It was Thanksgiving already, and it was a Hudson mother-son tradition to gut and cook the turkey. Carole had always needed Finn's set of hands after hid dad died.

"Are you alright, honey?" Carole asked her son after a few minutes of silent work.

"Hmm?" Finn hummed, tearing his eyes from the turkey.

"You've been spacing out a lot lately," his mom observed. "Burt and I are worried."

"You should see him at school," Kurt said, sweeping through the kitchen to check on his pies. "Glee club is the only time of day that he can keep his eyes open." Kurt looked up from the oven to his step-mother. "He's been like this since the Homecoming Dance."

Carole whipped back around to her son. "Finn, are you feeling okay? You got hit a couple times… Kurt, what if he got a concussion?"

"Well it's not like how he's acting is out of the ordinary," Kurt drawled.

"What's my name, honey?" Carole quizzed Finn.

"Mom," he answered tiredly.

"Good enough." Carole returned to the turkey. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah, yeah… I've just been thinking about… Finals."

Kurt narrowed his eyes. He knew Finn didn't ever worry about school work.

"I'm going to go take a nap," Finn decided, yawning. "I want to be full of energy when the guests come."

"Yeah, sure, go honey," Carole sighed, distracted.

Finn trudged back up the stairs, Kurt watching him suspiciously the whole time.

He got to his room and collapsed onto the bed: the same person stuck in his head as always. She was so pretty, and talented, and smart… But she didn't seem interested in him. Every night he went to sleep, wishing he could see her again, which is what he decided to do now.

Finn lay his head down on the pillow, hoping to dream about Rachel.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

"Remember when we were kids, and we would write letters to Santa?" Rachel asked, cupping her mug of hot chocolate close to her chest. The mountain of whipped cream was so high, Quinn was sure her girlfriend was going to get a beard.

Quinn giggled. "Last time I checked, you were Jewish, Rach."

Rachel looked offended. "You can never be too Jewish for a little Christmas spirit."

Quinn glanced at Rachel's hideous reindeer sweater, taking the hint. "Yeah, I remember those letters. Why?"

"I want to make one. For fun."

Quinn laughed again, but shrugged. "Why not? It could be fun."

Rachel handed her a piece of paper and a pen. They began to write- well, Quinn wrote. Rachel scribbled furiously. Her pink gel pen flew across the paper, leaving rushed handwriting that looked nothing like Rachel's usual neat, curly cursive.

Quinn smirked and shook her head. Rachel was so adorable. The blond took a moment to think about what to ask for. What did she want? Now that she was able to erase the past, the current life she was living wasn't too bad, but reality sucked. She had almost lost Rachel twice, and she wasn't going to let it happen again.

Quinn realized she knew exactly what she wanted. One thing, or two really, depending on how you looked at it. As Rachel got closer to the end of the letter, Quinn slowly wrote down the one thing she wanted in the middle of the page.

_Keep Finn away from Rachel. I need her._

It was more like a wish, and kind of childish, but Quinn needed to write it. At once, Rachel and Quinn got up from the coffee table, folded their notes, and slipped them into their stockings.

"What did you ask for?" Rachel asked her.

"Oh nothing," Quinn said passively. "Gift cards."

"Me too," Rachel laughed.

Quinn tried to smile back, but she was sure it came out more like a grimace. Had she really seen the name "Finn" on Rachel's Christmas list, or were her eyes playing tricks on her? If not, what did it mean? Did this version of Rachel, one who was 100 percent Finn's friend, nothing more, still feel the same as the others did? And if that was so, would Quinn even be able to undo it this time?

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Quinn marched into school, her usual scowl painted on her face. She wasn't angry, but looking like she was cleared the halls. Making her way was much easier when everybody feared her.

She wasn't exactly happy, wither. Quinn had continued to ponder the meaning of Rachel's Christmas list. She needed to come up with a way to end things with Finn for good. She could tamper with the past and make it so that Finn never lived in Lima. But what would that do? Would the new Rachel be depressed for never having a friend like Finn?

Quinn shook away the thoughts as she reached her locker. All of this was too much to bear.

Winter break had been lovely. Quinn and Rachel spent a lot of time together, and Rachel loved it. She felt as though they had grown apart a little bit in the fall, but if they did, it was fixed now. They were closer than ever.

Still, she couldn't shake some strange feeling deep inside her. She wanted things to be good with Quinn, she really did, but Rachel had a feeling it wouldn't be for long…

Finn was a man on a mission. He had almost two months to think about his feelings for Rachel, and his mind was finally clear. He loved her. More than anyone he had ever loved before. And he was planning to make her love him.

"Hey, Rachel," he whispered, making her jump as she made her way down the hall.

"Oh," she sighed. "Hi Finn. You scared me. How was your Winter break?"

"Good," Finn said vaguely. "I did a lot of thinking."

"About the day of Jesus' birth?" she teased, knowing it wasn't the answer.

"No," he said plainly. "About you."

Rachel froze, and no matter how hard she tried, she could stop herself from blushing. "W-What about me?" she stammered.

"I like you, Rachel," Finn said, leaning towards her. "Don't you like me?"

Rachel swallowed, trying to keep the answer from coming out of her mouth. iYes./i She avoided answering by snatching her first period books out of her locker and ducking under his arm.

"I can't be a couple with you," she said exasperatedly, trying to lose him.

Unfortunately, Finn had much longer legs than Rachel, and her kept up easily. "I'm not just some guy you can blow off," he stated. Rachel knew the words stated the truth.

Quinn got the feeling Rachel was close by and looked up from the books in her locker. Just as she thought, Rachel was coming her way, Finn at her heels. Quinn frowned at the sight of him.

"I can't be a couple with you," Rachel sighed.

"I'm not just some guy you can blow off, Finn said, sounding extremely arrogant.

Rachel rolled her eyes. She and Finn passed without a single glance at Quinn.

The blonde stared in disbelief at the two. Rachel was slipping from her grasp even more than she thought. Quinn could only think of one thing to do before sending Finn to his grave for good.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Jesse?"

Quinn and Jesse St. James had an interesting relationship ever since her sophomore year. The entire New Directions hated him for being a member of Vocal Adrenaline, but the two of them remained close, even after he graduated and went to college.

"Yeah."

"It's Quinn. I have a problem, and I need your help."

It was more then difficult for Quinn to explain her situation to Jesse without sounding like a lunatic. She didn't think he would react well to her announcing she could rewind time, and undo the past. It was hard enough coming out. She didn't want to have to explain her talent on top of that.

So she said she had a way to keep Rachel from Finn. A way to make her forget she ever liked him in the first place. Her "secret weapon," as she called it.

"What would this 'secret weapon' be, Quinn?" Jesse asked, keeping his voice low. The patrons of the Lima Bean buzzed around them, apparently oblivious of the two teenagers' serious conversation. "You aren't using dangerous drugs on Rachel, are you?"

"No!" Quinn said, offended. "It's nothing like that!"

Jesse frowned at her over his coffee. "Then what is it?"

Quinn sighed. "I'd love to tell you, but you wouldn't believe me."

Jesse shrugged. "So how exactly does this secret weapon work, anyway?"

"I can change Rachel's past and memory, if you will," Quinn said. She made it sound like it _iwasn't/i_ exactly what was happening. "When I do it, Rachel forgets her feelings for Finn, at least for a little while."

"And this Rachel isn't the one you fell in love with," Jesse guessed.

"Exactly."

"Well, I can't say I understand what you claim you can do," Jesse began, "but I'll respect it. It sounds like an enviable talent at first, but I think you know better." Quinn nodded. "The truth hurts, Quinn, but it has to be told. You can't change who somebody is without destroying who they were."

"So does that mean I'm just going to have to watch Finn steal my girlfriend away from me?" Quinn asked, hurt.

"Not exactly," Jesse replied. "But you will have to work for her."

"I'll do anything to keep her," Quinn stated. "Tell me."

Jesse eyed her desperate expression for a moment. Then he continued. "Keep her the old fashioned way. Not everybody can do whatever it is you do, so play it like them. Don't make anymore changes. You can erase the past, but you can't change the future. Rachel's crush on Finn is inevitable, but you can stop it if you try."

Quinn frowned. It would be hard, she knew it. But if what Jesse said was right, and there was a way to have Rachel alive and by her side forever, it had to be worth it.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Quinn was really going to try to follow through on her promise to Jesse. Really. But she couldn't stop herself from being angry at Finn, no matter how hard she tried. She made the decision- if getting angry with Finn wouldn't work, then she would switch to Jesse's plan. Quinn could be scary if she wanted to be, and she could manipulate almost anyone, especially simple-minded Finn Hudson.

It wasn't hard to find the frankenteen, moving awkwardly down the hall towards his locker. Quinn cornered him, her darkest glare shadowing her eyes.

"Hey Quinn!" he chirped, oblivious.

"What's up with you and Rachel?"

He blushed and looked down. "Oh. I kind of like her. Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah, it is," Quinn hissed. "And you need to back off. Rachel's taken."

"By who!" Finn exploded.

Quinn paused. She would pull the trick they used for her- that Rachel had a boyfriend at Dalton- but Finn wasn't dumb enough for that. She sighed. "Somebody. You don't need to know who, just that she isn't available."

"Does the guy go here?" Finn asked. Quinn felt an invisible knife plunge into her side. "Do I know him?"

"No," Quinn said softly.

"To which question?" Finn didn't wait for an answer. "Is he tough? You know, tougher than me? Rachel needs a strong guy. One who can protect her."

Quinn didn't move.

"He doesn't deserve her, whoever this guy is," Finn mused. "She like the one girl who actually seems right for me, you know? Like I'd be lost without her. I know it sounds pretty self-centered, but I feel like no other guy would be as good for her as me."

"Maybe she doesn't need a '_guy_,'" Quinn muttered, her heart cold and empty.

"What?" Finn asked, still looking kind of out of it. Quinn rifled through her extensive supply of excuses for an answer, but she never needed it. Finn turned and walked away, lost in his own thoughts.

Quinn fell against the lockers in a huff, scared of what almost could have happened.

"Hey Quinn!" a familiar voice called. The blonde had heard the same phrase and tone of voice what felt like a thousand times this year, and she hated it. She turned to face a beaming Rachel, her brown eyes wide. She wanted something.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked slowly.

"Could I please ask you a teensy weensy favor?" Rachel asked in a baby voice.

Quinn's eyes narrowed. "Depends."

This response caught Rachel off guard, and it showed. But the brunette didn't let it faze her. "Well Finn totally _bombed _his Spanish test today, and I feel really bad."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Quinn asked icily, even though she already knew.

"Turn back time?" Rachel requested sweetly. "It's just that if he fails this class he'll get kicked off the football team, and you know how hard he tried for that scholarship-"

"No," Quinn stated.

Rachel looked as if Quinn had slapped her. "Wha-?"

"I can't do this," Quinn said flatly.

Rachel froze and stared at Quinn questioningly. As if as a response, Quinn turned and walked away. She didn't dare look back at the girl she left behind.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

"_Senior Prom_," Rachel murmured, a whisper of a smile on her lips as she stared at the lit-up high school.

"I'm glad we could be here together," Quinn said softly, grinning at the brunette.

"So am I!" Jesse St. James exclaimed, flinging his arms over each girl's shoulder.

"Ugh, get off me," Rachel growled, ducking back out from under his arm.

"Aw, what's wrong?" Jesse asked, leaning against the car. "Don't say you don't like me, because you made your crush on me iquite/i obvious when you were a Sophomore." He waggled his eyebrows as she stared at him in disgust.

"Okay, Jesse, stop," Quinn said, pulling him upright. "That's my girlfriend. And she doesn't like the fact that you were in Vocal Adrenaline."

"Ah, sore loser, huh?" Jesse taunted as the trio started towards the school.

"Never!" Rachel spat.

He rolled his eyes but said no more as they approached. Various students turned and stared at the obvious college student and his two dates. Who was he? Where did he come from?

"I feel like such a pimp," Jesse muttered proudly.

Both girls slapped him in the arm at the same time. Jesse grimaced in response.

Things were hanging by a thread with Quinn and Rachel, and whether Rachel knew it or not, Quinn wasn't sure. Finn didn't actually get kicked off the team. The score only lowered his grade to a D. Quinn and Rachel seemed to be ignoring any obvious issues, stuck in the same routine of sweetness and naivety. Quinn didn't know what to feel; disappointment, or happiness. Really, she felt a little of both.

It was better than feeling nothing.

"I love this song!" Quinn shouted on the dance floor with Rachel. "Dance with me, sexy!"

Rachel grinned and grabbed Quinn's hands. "It'd be my pleasure!" she purred, pulling Quinn's body closer.

Finn silently watched the two girls dance together from the corner of the school gym. His judgment was fuzzy from all the spiked punches he'd drank, but he didn't need to be sober to recognize that something weird was going on with those girls and their friend from Vocal Adrenaline.

His eyes narrowed as Quinn danced closer and closer to Rachel, until they were pressed against each other as if it was no big deal at all. Rachel's smile grew as she listened to something Quinn whispered in her ear. If Finn wasn't mistaken, Quinn's lips had lingered on Rachel's jaw.

That was enough.

"You are so bad!" Rachel squealed, erupting into giggles at Quinn's idea.

"Maybe later?" Quinn hinted, eyeing Rachel suggestively.

Rachel's face turned pink but her smile didn't fade. She nodded eagerly.

"I'm so happy to be here with you. It's what I've always wanted."

Just as Quinn finished talking, a large hand wrapped around her arm and yanked her away from Rachel. Quinn shrieked.

"What do you think you're doing?" Finn growled.

"Finn!" Rachel gasped. "What are you doing!"

Quinn fought at Finn's grasp. "Get off her, asshole," Jesse snarled, grabbing Finn's shoulders and pulling him away from the blonde. The students of McKinley began to notice the disruption and turned to watch curiously.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Finn shot back, pushing Jesse square in the chest.

"This is none of your business!" Jesse pushed Finn back. Quinn dodged the tall quarterback as his balance was off.

"This is my school, it's all my business!" Finn screamed.

"She's not your girlfriend!" Jesse shouted.

Finn swung a punch at Jesse, but Jesse leaned back and dodged it.

Sue Sylvester ran up and grabbed the boys. "Prom is over for you, Sugar Ray!" she yelled at Finn. "You too, Marvelous Marvin! Out, let's go."

"You can't kick me out!" Jesse wailed. "_He_ started it! I was just protecting Quinn!"

"You can all go to hell," Finn hissed, eyeing Jesse, the coach and the two girls before pulling free of Sue's grasp to storm out of the gym.

Quinn and Rachel stood frozen, pale over what had just gone over.

The blonde looked over at her girlfriend, and quickly knew what Rachel wanted to do. "Don't go."

"I have to!"

"No you don't!" Quinn screeched. "I'm with you, not him!"

"You just don't understand," Rachel whimpered. With one last look at her girlfriend, she turned on her silver heel and ran out of the gym after Finn.

TBC


End file.
